Scotland head to this summer's World Cup hoping to write history by advancing beyond the group stages of the event for the first time.
The Tartan Army are embarking upon their first appearance at the FIFA showpiece in 28 years, having beaten Denmark in a tense winner-takes-all encounter at Hampden Park in November.
It will represent the nation's ninth appearance at the World Cup and their first since exiting at the group stages at France 98.
Scotland bowed out at the first hurdle after registering just a solitary point from their three group encounters, and they will now attempt to break new ground in reaching the knockout stages for the first time in history.
Steve Clarke has made no secret of the fact that he would love to be the first Scotland manager to achieve that feat and given the expanded format of this year's competition, it seems as though they really could break new ground in 2026.
Scotland's World Cup record
Year | Host Nation | Round |
1930 | Uruguay | Not a FIFA member |
1934 | Italy | Not a FIFA member |
1938 | France | Not a FIFA member |
1950 | Brazil | Qualified but withdrew |
1954 | Switzerland | Group stage |
1958 | Sweden | Group stage |
1962 | Chile | Did not qualify |
1966 | England | Did not qualify |
1970 | Mexico | Did not qualify |
1974 | Germany | Group stage |
1978 | Argentina | Group stage |
1982 | Spain | Group stage |
1986 | Mexico | Group stage |
1990 | Italy | Group stage |
1994 | USA | Did not qualify |
1998 | France | Group stage |
2002 | South Korea & Japan | Did not qualify |
2006 | Germany | Did not qualify |
2010 | South Africa | Did not qualify |
2014 | Brazil | Did not qualify |
2018 | Russia | Did not qualify |
2022 | Qatar | Did not qualify |
Every Scotland match at the World Cup
1954 (Switzerland)
- Scotland 0-1 Austria (Group stage)
- Scotland 0-7 Uruguay (Group stage)
1958 (Sweden)
- Scotland 1-1 Yugoslavia (Group stage)
- Scotland 2-3 Paraguay (Group stage)
- Scotland 1-2 France (Group stage)
1974 (Germany)
- Scotland 2-0 Zaire (Group stage)
- Scotland 0-0 Brazil (Group stage)
- Scotland 1-1 Yugoslavia (Group stage)
1978 (Argentina)
- Scotland 1-3 Peru (Group stage)
- Scotland 1-1 Iran (Group stage)
- Scotland 3-2 Netherlands (Group stage)
1982 (Spain)
- Scotland 5-2 New Zealand (Group stage)
- Scotland 1-4 Brazil (Group stage)
- Scotland 2-2 Soviet Union (Group stage)
1986 (Mexico)
- Scotland 0-1 Denmark (Group stage)
- Scotland 1-2 West Germany (Group stage)
- Scotland 0-0 Uruguay (Group stage)
1990 (Italy)
- Scotland 0-1 Costa Rica (Group stage)
- Scotland 2-1 Sweden (Group stage)
- Scotland 0-1 Brazil (Group stage)
1998 (France)
- Scotland 1-2 Brazil (Group stage)
- Scotland 1-1 Norway (Group stage)
- Scotland 0-3 Morocco (Group stage)
Who did Scotland last beat at the World Cup?
Scotland's last victory at the World Cup came against Sweden at Italia 90.
Goals from Stuart McCall and Mo Johnston secured the Tartan Army a 2-1 triumph over Sweden at the Stadi Luigi Ferraris in Genoa.
Unfortunately, a narrow 1-0 loss against Brazil in their final group encounter, coupled with a loss at the hands of Costa Rica on matchday one, meant Andrew Roxburgh's side missed out on a place in the knockout rounds.
How many times have Scotland played Brazil at the World Cup?
Incredibly, this year's World Cup will see Scotland face off against South American heavyweights Brazil for a fifth time.
The nations first locked horns on the grand stage back in 1970 when the pair played out a goalless draw in Frankfurt, Germany, before Brazil eased to a 4-1 success 12 years later in Spain.
Since then, Brazil have registered narrow 1-0 and 2-1 wins in Turin, Italy (1990) and Saint-Denis, France (1998), with Scotland now hoping to break that winless streak in Miami on June 24.
